It’s been fun, but I have to go

Ted BartlettOct 1, 2014 1:00 PM

Happy Wednesday, friends. I'm writing today for the first time in a few weeks, and I'm not feeling that great about it.

About a week ago, I let the other guys know that I've decided that continuing to promote the NFL is misaligned with my personal ethics, and that consequently, I wouldn't be doing so any longer. I really didn't want to write this article, or make a big deal about myself with it, but Doug asked me to write something so that everybody would at least know what happened.

It's taken me a week to figure out what to say, and as I write this, I still don't know. Please bear with me as I feel my way through it.

For several years now, I haven't felt great about what's been going on in the NFL for a couple of decades, and most probably, since its inception as a league. Way back when, in the spring of 2008, I was a lonely, semi-depressed dude that was separated from my soon-to-be ex-wife. At that time, I was just a big football fan, and I decided that it might be fun to write about it.

I was oblivious then to the problems with the NFL which trouble me now. I started out posting at Mile High Report, which wasn't really that big of a site yet, but which had a good platform for what were called Diaries at the time, and would later be called FanPosts.

I just started writing those from time to time, and toward the end of that 2008 season, I was asked to join the MHR staff. I did that for about a year, and developed a good following with a regular column I called Shallow Thoughts and Nearsighted Observations. During the 2009 season, I watched probably 160 or 170 of the 256 regular season games, and I was all over everything.

Then, I thought I was big-time, and left to create my own site. It didn't work out, because it turned out that I didn't have the time or energy to carry a site by myself. I eventually gave up on it, and took the 2010 season mostly off from writing, except when I felt like it. If you remember One Man Football, that's what I'm talking about.

Meanwhile, all of the guys I thought were good writers at MHR, except Jeremy Bolander, left to form IAOFM at the start of the 2010 season. In early 2011, Doug finally convinced me to join IAOFM, after lobbying me to do so periodically during the first season here.

Over the last four years, I've had some fun writing here, but truth be told, I've enjoyed it less and less all the time. When I was feeling young and edgy, writing was fun. I could piss in people's faces, and be a jerk (which I'm totally not in person), and antagonize people I didn't care for. To some extent, I became known for being like that.

As I've gotten older and more successful in my career, I've become much more conservative in my personal style, if not in my politics. It really affected me last year when I decided to take a swipe at MHR, and some guy who allegedly writes there threatened to try to make trouble for me with my day-job employer. He wouldn't have had any success, but who needs that drama? That's not why I got into this, you know?

Not too long after that, I tried to quit. It wasn't for the first time, either. Every time, Doug has talked me out of leaving.

This time, he didn't even try, which adds to the already high level of respect that I have for him. I'm quitting for a different reason today than my prior reasons of thinking that football writing wasn't that much fun anymore, or that I could make more lucrative use of my free time.

This time, the last time, I'm resolved to be finished with writing about NFL football because I think that it (as a total corporate entity) represents the worst things about America. I'm not going to be melodramatic, and say that it's evil or fascist, or any of those things.

Or maybe I just did; you be the judge.

You know, it starts with the anti-labor collusion and union-busting over the entire history of the NFL. The anti-competitive practices, because if laborers try to practice capitalism, and get the best price for their product (labor), it's a bad thing. It continues with the league's complete disregard for the post-playing health of the players.

Then you get into medical malpractice that's been rampant with current players for decades; think about all of the Toradol shots, the team-friendly diagnoses, and the "mild concussions" where guys just got their "bells rung." Then you think about Elliot Pellman, the hack rheumatologist who for years chaired the NFL's concussion research committee. Of course, that meant that he did everything he could to prevent meaningful research, and to lie about and contradict whatever came out.

Then, you have the Ray Rice situation. I'm not shocked at Rice, or what he did. The NFL has about 1,900 players participate in any regular season, and there are bound to be some people doing bad stuff within a sample that large. There are also bound to be many, many more players who are good everyday people.

The NFL (and its member organization in Baltimore), by most accounts that have emerged, worked hard to cover up a despicable, unexplainable thing that Rice did because he's a good player. The NFL probably did the same thing (in conjunction with its member organization in Denver) with Brandon Marshall several years back.

Marshall is lucky nobody got video of his actions, because nobody can understand or condone the visual of domestic violence. It becomes an emotional thing when you see it, and it can be spun in clinical and neutral terms when only words are used to describe it. That's what lawyers and public relations whores do, is keep the language clinical. They might suggest that it was the victim's fault, in subtle ways. It was through that kind of spin that the NFL thought they'd get away with suspending Rice for two games. Business as usual, right?

But people freaked out this time.

The values of society are always changing. With every passing day, month, and year, the pathetic sorts of men who think it's OK to beat women are dying off, and younger people who'd mostly never condone domestic violence reach the age of activism and financial means. Suddenly, they're in the target demographic.

Something else was going on though, something the NFL initially misunderestimated (Shout out to George Dubya!). The rate at which men watch football has stayed flat for years now. In trying to grow the viewer base of the league, the NFL has beeing seeing the increases come from women.

It turns out that women don't tend to like the idea that it's fine to give a player a slap on the wrist for knocking out his fiancee.

So the National Organization for Women (and other groups) organized its membership to lobby the NFL's sponsors, and the sponsors pushed the NFL to strengthen its domestic violence policies. The NFL didn't do it because it was right; they did it because of intense backlash. They did it to get everybody to shut the hell up, and let them get back to making their money.

But then the video came out, and it got emotional for people. And by then, the NFL was left to explain how they ever thought that two games was appropriate. And then they had to cut Rice loose, and seek more damage control. Things like most likely pressuring ESPN to suspend Bill Simmons for being extremely critical of the NFL's integrity to a large audience.

And then the Adrian Peterson thing happened, and the NFL and the Vikings misplayed that, before reacting in such a way as to minimize the outcry by deactivating Peterson indefinitely.

The bad thing about the Peterson situation, to me, is that it's a missed opportunity for society. It could spark a useful conversation in this country.

There's no useful debate to be had on whether you should beat your wife, but there is one to be had on what's appropriate in terms of disciplining a child. The jury is nowhere near in on that one, in general, even if it's pretty clear that Peterson's specific behavior was abhorrent and over what most people would consider to be the borderline.

But the NFL, only caring about damage control, shut the whole thing down. And that's just what they do; they piss on your leg ALL THE TIME and tell you that it's raining. They act in nobody's interest but their own, and then tell you that they're all about the fan. They cover up a crime, and underpenalize it, and then tell you that they want to be part of the solutions that society needs.

It's completely dishonest.

Honor is in the dollar, kid. The NFL, which is made up of 32 very rich men, cares nothing about anything else. The jury has been in on that one.

I don't object to people making money, of course; I'm just not interested in helping them make it anymore. I've been writing for this site, and my past sites, as a Broncos fan, but my hard work has had the effect of being a fan of the money guys getting rich.

Everybody who ever enjoyed football more because I explained something to them went on to give their money to these horrible and dishonest oligarchs. I've never made one dollar writing about football, not one. In fact, I've probably spent over five grand doing it over the years, between subscription fees and other costs.

A lot of football writers have made a big deal about considering the ethics of their work over the last couple of weeks. I haven't actually seen anybody quit over it, once their soul-searching article was posted. It's harder for most of them than it is for me, because this isn't how I make my living, and because I have knowledge, skills, and abilities in other areas of life.

What's a guy like Peter King going to do if he decides to stop lapdogging for Roger Goodell? What else could a guy like him possibly do? This has basically been a hobby for me, so the only thing that makes it hard to walk away for me is loyalty to the other four guys here, and to the readers who've been with me for a long time. That's what kept me in the box the other three or four times I tried to quit.

Alas, this time though, it's not really that hard. Continuing to do this will make me feel like a horrible person. I'm still working out the extent to which I plan to remain a fan of the Broncos and the NFL. I paid for Sunday Ticket this year, whether I feel like using it or not. I still like to root for the players in orange and blue, and for the most part, I think they're worthy of it. I watched the Seattle game last week, though, and I didn't get very excited about it. That's not a great sign. The real test will be what I do if they make the Super Bowl this year, because it's happening three hours from my house, and I've been planning to go.

That will be my own private deal, I guess. I need to get centered within my own ethical framework, and it's just unclear what that means yet. I do know that I won't be contributing to the money vortex any longer, at least in the form of pulling readers into it. For the guys who are remaining here, I hope that IAOFM continues to be the best Broncos site around. My leaving is deeply personal, and it carries with it no judgment of anybody who decides to proceed in a direction that's different from my own.

I created a new Wordpress site called All The Ways of Contending, and it's located at tedbartlett.me. It will not include any football writing, unless I feel like taking a shot at the NFL. I'll write about other stuff, maybe management and accounting, maybe politics, maybe just general thoughts, as I have time and interest. Check it out if you feel like it as time goes on.

In closing, I just want to exit out the side door in quiet, unobtrusive fashion. As I said, I didn't even really want to write this article. I don't want to make a statement, really, I just have to do the right thing for myself. Things are as they are, and people must find ways to align themselves optimally in environments which they don't control. Be well, friends. That's what I'll be working on too.

1. I’m not in the arguing business, I’m in the saying what I think business.
2. I get my information from my eyes.

Law enforcement official says he sent video to league before two-game ban was issued

In the words of one of the greatest political figures of our generation....sssshhhheeeeeiiiit

Posted by Ralph_W on 2014-10-04 19:53:26

Thank you Ted I'm going to miss your columns on the Broncos and other subjects. That being said I don't think I'll be following your blog if it deals with accounting. I feel that the accounting game has gotten away from the days when it was about the pure love of numbers. I just don't like the direction It is taking over the last few years.

Posted by Ben Duke on 2014-10-03 09:31:35

Best of luck, brother. You've been a great read since MHR, one of my favorites on these interwebs.

Don't worry about the whiney cunts around here, they need it more than you do.

Cheers,j

Posted by jvill on 2014-10-02 23:57:51

Thanks for all the insight and for the honest, graceful exit.

Posted by jake on 2014-10-02 21:59:09

Good luck Ted. It's been a pleasure reading you.

Posted by Ryan on 2014-10-02 16:57:33

I had a great post (IMO) yesterday that somehow didn't get posted. Probably author error. Anyway - thanks for your great reads, Ted. Best wishes to you as you ride off into the Arizona Sunset....

Posted by BlackKnigh on 2014-10-02 16:38:46

Ted, I've been a big fan of how you've evolved over the past few years, and how you look at things. Thanks for your excellent writing here, and I'll be following along over at your new site.

Posted by tunesmith on 2014-10-02 12:44:23

Sorry to see you go, Ted, but I totally get it. I've reached the exact same point with the NCAA. I have always loved college football and basketball. Some of the best memories in my life have come from being caught up in the excitement and fervor of a title run. (I attended the University of Florida; we had quite a few of them.) Those are precious memories that I would never give up for anything.

Still, as I learned more, I grew more and more disillusioned with the NCAA and its bullshit "amateurism" nonsense, until eventually I could no longer live with continuing to support the entire corrupt industry. So I quit. I haven't seen an NCAA football or basketball game in three years. I literally don't even know what Florida's record is this year. I hear some things in passing on Twitter or the news sites, so I know they reached the Final Four last year. Not watching that game was hard, but ultimately I knew that the tipsy adrenaline-filled tournament high would fade, but my disapproval of the league would remain.

My boycott actually places me in a pretty bizarre situation, since I get paid to write about fantasy football, and more specifically about dynasty leagues. I'm not getting rich at it or anything, but when my son was born I quit my job so I could be the primary caregiver, and the extra income certainly helps justify that decision (not that it really needed any more justification). The big event every year in dynasty leagues is the rookie draft, and my advice to all inquiries leading up to it ultimately boils down to "I don't know, I haven't watched a college football game in three years, but here's a list of some smart people who might be able to help you." I work around it, I put in extra effort to make sure I'm standing out in other areas, and I generally just let the chips fall where they may. So far it's worked out, and I have felt a lot better about myself knowing that I took a stand even though it was inconvenient.

Would I ever boycott the NFL? I don't know. Anything is possible. Some of the stuff going down is pretty sociopathic. But then, as has been noted, it's not especially sociopathic. It's garden-variety "major corporation sociopathic". I mean, GM *KNOWINGLY PUT CARS ON THE ROAD FOR A FUCKING DECADE* knowing that they were prone to spontaneously turning off and disengaging the airbags. That's some seriously, seriously messed up bullshit. Food companies are in an arms race to see who can scientifically engineer the most addictive food, and nutritive value was the first casualty in the endeavor. Hollywood gave an Oscar to a man who rape-raped a 13-year-old girl and then fled to a non-extradition country. And they even had the gall to express regret that he couldn't come claim the award in person because, I mean, he'd had to spend the last 37 years living a life of luxury in France. Hadn't he suffered enough? Hell, even Google seems to be slowly transitioning from "Don't Be Evil" to "If It's Not Too Much of an Inconvenience, Strongly Consider Not Being Evil".

This isn't to say that what the NFL is doing is alright. It's messed up, and it deserves to be acknowledged as such. That fact doesn't change just because other industries are doing things that are objectively even more messed up. Just because there are worse problems doesn't mean we shouldn't address bad problems.

This is just to say that my tolerance for messed up nonsense has to be relatively high in order to function in today's society. Things have to rise to a pretty high level of messed up before I reach the point of boycotting them, or else I'd be boycotting pretty much everything. Money really does seem to ruin pretty much everything it touches. For me, the NCAA reaches that point. The NFL doesn't. But everyone's thresholds are different. For you, what the NFL does cannot be countenanced. For others, what the NCAA does might not even cause them to bat an eye. We all have to decide for ourselves what we can and can not live with... and if we can not live with something, we must take it upon ourselves not to. Congratulations on that step, and I admire you for taking it. There will probably be a lot of times when it's not easy, but I suspect the times when it feels right will outnumber them by several orders of magnitude. I hope they do.

Posted by Kibbles on 2014-10-02 04:25:33

Great men adhere to their ethics whenever they are on check. You are a great man. Although I've only known IAOFM for the past two years, following you has been a great thing, and you were a great influence over me as an NFL writer as well.

I don't have this strength to stop writing, but I do criticize every single wrong move, so as to make our readers at Broncos Brasil aware of what's happening on the underground of this circus.

Thanks for everything you taught, for ask your great articles, I've learned a lot.

If ever the NFL gets back on the good tracks, be sure we'll be waiting with welcoming arms for your return.

Fare thee well, and good luck in your new blog and in your life in general.

Posted by LH Almeida on 2014-10-02 04:01:13

Thanks for everything Ted. Really appreciate all the hard work and passion. Things like the Defensive Scheme Type Indicator were invaluable to my football knowledge.

Posted by Ctothenet on 2014-10-02 01:56:10

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I learned a lot from your articles. Sad to see you go. All the best to you.

Posted by Stephan on 2014-10-02 00:52:42

If we win the Super Bowl we'll know you've been jinxing us this whole time!

Posted by Laces Out on 2014-10-02 00:52:17

Ted, we will miss you greatly. I've loved your writing and it hurts to see you go. However, I am happy to know that you left, because of an ethical stance and that you will be happier in the future. If the NFL actually makes substantial changes (don't count on it) and changes your mind, you can believe that we will accept your return with open arms.

Gone but not forgotten. Goodbye Ted.

Posted by jackal on 2014-10-02 00:47:31

A friend of mine quit "Best Buy" for the same reason. I mean, especially with their ridiculously marked up cables and their high pressure sales and their worthless warranty insurance.

To me, if it breaks in two years, you shouldn't need a warranty. It means the product was faulty and you should get a full refund.

Posted by DragonPie on 2014-10-01 23:53:20

What the hell is wrong with you? People can make their own choices about their own life and if they've done nothing but provide you a service they owe you jack shit.

Have some fucking respect.

Posted by DragonPie on 2014-10-01 23:45:45

Yes, but you can be misled about the extent of the damage. Most players were under the impression that most people believed that perhaps some major concussions, repeated, could have major consequences and they probably expected to have some sore joints in their older ages, but few probably expected that regular day to day contact concussions would have the consequences they do and I doubt that most people even thought the major ones would cause men to commit suicide, have severe loss of brain functionality and I doubt that most expected these outcomes to be as incredibly common as they are.

Oh, and they were told otherwise by obfuscating physicians who knew better and intentionally misled. The NFL is absolutely responsible for that. Sure, some players feel self-reliant enough to choose to way to attempt to take personal responsibility just because they have pride, but those who don't have a blatant and obvious case of being misled by experts who they should have been able to trust.

Posted by DragonPie on 2014-10-01 23:42:18

Ted, you are a man of integrity. While you're not a Christian there's a blog/web site I think you actually might enjoy reading called www.empireremixed.com. It is a critique of empire, whether it is political or religious (and frequently critiques the religious empires evangelicals form). Anyways, thanks for sharing your thoughts beyond the NFL, that's what I have often enjoyed in your writing.

Posted by Chad Vercio on 2014-10-01 23:17:59

sad to see you go Ted, I have really enjoyed your work. You will be missed.

Posted by Jim_Jebow on 2014-10-01 23:04:42

Hey Ted, sorry to see you go. You were a large part of why I started visiting this site and always appreciated the more technical and nuanced view of football.

All the best.

Posted by chantech on 2014-10-01 22:39:16

Given your rules, let's not let it pass that in late 2010 that NFL was still telling its players that playing in the league did not alter your possibilitiy of developing brain trauma. You're talking about teens and very young adults believing the authority figures they have access to.

Going forward, most of them will still take the chance on living with brain trauma. For not a few, it's their shot at making some money (little or none of which will be left after the family and 'friends' ask if you won't cover their bills because you're 'too good for them now?'. My point here is that very few - if any - of those reading this are qualified to make the kinds of decisions that this situation entails.

The more reseach I do, the more I DO see this as the league screwing over the players. They do it delibrately and well-organized fashion. It's easy as hell to say, "Well, now the players know so it's up to them." That's ignoring the fact that for many of them, this is the sole goal they've spend their lives working for and they don't have a ton of options. There will have to be a middle road developed, or the lawyers will end the league for us (delibrate exaggeration - but not a huge one).

The domestic violence aspect is separate, and I'm sticking to one rant per column today. Ted, I'm going to miss you - but I have no doubt as to your future success.

Posted by Doc Bear on 2014-10-01 22:20:44

Wait a minute....this is a football site? :) Thanks for donating your time Ted.

Posted by WhoShotBobbyHumphrey on 2014-10-01 21:25:34

Thank you for your time and effort. I admire you for taking this step, but i will miss your insights on the game. Good luck and take chances!

Ted, when i came looking for a teacher, you were there. Thanks for your efforts.

You'll be missed.

Posted by orangeandblueaussie on 2014-10-01 19:54:49

I respect that. Good luck!

Posted by Michael Droppers on 2014-10-01 19:18:50

Old timer here (Doug on Horsetracks, Tales from the Sunnyside, Stats That Don't Lie, STNO -- good times). I look forward to reading the next chapter, but know I'll always be hoping to find one more Broncos take every time I visit.

Posted by Kell_C on 2014-10-01 18:32:48

As many others have offered, I too say Thank You and wish you the best going forward. I'll look forward to seeing more writing from you in the future on one topic or another as you seem to have writing in your blood. Good Luck!

Posted by SteveS on 2014-10-01 18:16:22

I understand your position, Ted. I become more disillusioned with the NFL every passing day. For me, it's a combination of everything you alluded to, combined with what I think is an on-field product that both declines yearly and gets more tedious to watch; Flags, Rules that heavily favor the offense that give the defense no chance to compete, Rules upon rules, commercials, more commercials. The game has become an endless and shameless parade of itself, and I can hardly stomach it at this point.

I do have a thirst for sport, however, and that whole is currently being filled by taking in more and more football. Soccer, that is. And with that beautiful game being more accessible to watch by the day as an American, it's just making my transition away from being an avid NFL viewer that much easier.

I will probably continue to watch the Broncos until American football is defunct. I fully expect the NFL to cave in on itself when the American public at large truly grasps the extent of what allowing their young children to bang their heads against each other does to their long term health. Once the youth of America is no longer playing the sport, the sport dies. Simple enough, for me at least.

All that said, it's still a sad thing to see you go, Ted. You are a fantastic writer with an impressive mind and perspective on the things you pursue. And even though you might shout a bit too loud and a tad too high from your horse at times, you've always been one of my favorite writers.

Cheers and best of luck, mate. I hope to see you around somewhere.

-Brit

Posted by aLuffabo on 2014-10-01 18:12:45

7. Retired for Elway and Bartlett

Posted by Brett on 2014-10-01 18:05:00

Look on the bright side Ted, this may be the closest you'll ever get to attending your own funeral.

Posted by magster on 2014-10-01 18:00:34

This is my first time commenting even though I've visited this site religiously for years. I just want to say thank you, from me, and if I may, on behalf of the countless others who browse and appreciate, but never speak up. Best of luck.

Posted by Kevin Strom on 2014-10-01 18:00:02

And so adios to the best football analyst and writer here, and really the best I have read anywhere. I don't agree with you on a lot of this stuff---nor on much else I would guess lol---but your obvious integrity and thoughtfulness, and your commitment to your principles on this point, is worthy of great respect. Thanks for the many great reads over the past few years, and best of luck in your future ventures.

Posted by Piglet62 on 2014-10-01 17:52:08

Military?

Posted by GreasyQtip on 2014-10-01 17:51:14

I never got to say this enough but you have easily provided me with uber hours of entertainment in doctors offices, late starting meetings, oil change waiting rooms, and at home. I don't think I even realize that until now. And if fucking hate being bored. Thank you!

It is nice to have another site on my daily bookmarks list, and one of a few that are non broncos oriented.

Posted by GreasyQtip on 2014-10-01 17:43:39

Interesting article, and I think it mirrors a lot of what a lot of people are thinking. I would broaden it - between PEDs, abuse, murder, rapes by players that are excused, and the corruption of the game - it's hard to find anyone who is in love with the NFL, or even the players now.

The NFL has consistently shut down anything that they can't control - "don't be a distraction" is rule, unless you are famous, then You can get away with Murder, literally, if you are a big enough player.

If you are on the practice squad, you will get cut for looking sideways at a coach.

Posted by ItsAllOverSnottyFans on 2014-10-01 17:39:38

I've read that many players KNOW going into the NFL, for that matter many of the professional sports that knee, hip and shoulder repairs or replacements are on the horizon. Broken fingers, hand, wrists and other bones would come back to haunt them later in life.

They KNOW it and chose the good life today for themselves and their family.

I decided early in my football career that I did not want to be like my gym teacher a Bronco OT who was hobbling along during the season and on crutches in the off season.

Just as I gave up drinking because of the loss of brain cells that alcohol use causes.

It was a personal choice for me to do so.

Posted by Lonestar47 on 2014-10-01 17:24:35

You'll be missed. Fare thee well.

Posted by Sino Kochevar on 2014-10-01 17:16:52

doing so he was preaching to THIS choir, that save a few of us marched to his drum beat..

Posted by Lonestar47 on 2014-10-01 17:12:05

While there is NO DOUBT about issues within the NFL. How many millions of dollars has it given to various charities and God knows how many hours have the players at the urging (although I'm sure many would do it anyway, because they MIGHT make a difference in some kids life) of the team and NFL spent with kids in hospitals and shelters over the years.

I have rarely seen BIG BUSINESS as the root of all evil, yet sometimes the NFL does and HAS turned a blind eye to evil.

Ted Mentions Brandon M in his farewell, did anyone (other than a few of us) really see it as an issue way back then? The VAST majority of our fans were blinded by his play, as long as it was not a Bronco then justice should be served.

I also have to say that I do not know of ANYONE that thinks it is OK to hit a women, have not known anyone like that for 40 years.

Posted by Lonestar47 on 2014-10-01 17:10:46

How about you GFY. He can do whatever he wants. Just because he doesn't want to support the corporate NFL and all the bullshit they represent doesn't mean he can't still have a place in his heart for the Broncos and doesn't mean he can't cheer them on if they get to the superbowl. You're a fucking idiot.

Posted by Rollston Frangopoulos on 2014-10-01 17:10:42

Except that these "college educated" kids don't always get the education they think they're getting. How often have these kids been giving passing grades so they can play that week? Not all of these kids come from places where if they didn't have football they'd have successful careers elsewhere, so your argument there is false. Football IS their only way out. They don't have the proper education in elementary, jr high, high school to teach them to be successful in life, let alone successful in college. You think what they learn in college is enough information for them to self diagnose the long term effects of playing football? When coaches ask you how many fingers he's holding up and you say 5 even though it's 3 and he says close enough and sends you back out on the field, you think you'll be able to make a decision for yourself? When doctors (people we tend to trust) give you more drugs to numb the pain to keep you playing, you think you'll make decisions for yourself? When the NFL withholds and delays concussion research to avoid the backlash, you think you've got enough information? I'm college educated and only with all the bad publicity did I come to learn about the long term effects of concussions. Did I think that maybe there could be long lasting damage? Sure, but did I have proof? Would hundreds of thousands of dollars convince me to play anyway? Probably. Now that more research has come out would I change my mind about those hundreds of thousands of dollars? Maybe, but then I came from a small town in Wyoming and was able to get a decent education. I have other ways to make a living. I don't come from an inner city school system with teachers that are underfunded and where gangs and violence teach you more about life than anything in school.

There are so many things wrong with this thread that I can't even keep track of it all.

Posted by Rollston Frangopoulos on 2014-10-01 17:08:48

Ted,

Your arrogant, in-your-face writing style has always been off putting. You seem to think you are the smartest man in the room and have a need to make sure everyone knows it. I completely disagree with many of your stances, especially political and religious views. You have a childish need to pick fights that do not need to be fought. I would never let you babysit my kids.

But...very few things on the great interweb of ours have brought me as much joy as have your articles. I have followed you since the early days of MHR and from the beginning have loved your work...and hated your work. There is no middle ground. But I always craved more. You write with conviction and intelligence, whatever the topic may be. Your articles bring up an unsettling mix of emotions in me, from football euphoria to outright shock and righteous anger. And humor. You tackle complex issue that always leave me thinking and examining my own beliefs. Including this post. Especially this post.

Thank you for enriching my life these past few years. What a perfect ending to this chapter...staying true to yourself. Best wishes to you, my frenemy. :-)

Posted by babsonjr on 2014-10-01 17:04:28

will miss your thoughts on the broncos, adios.

Posted by Lonestar47 on 2014-10-01 17:00:10

How about you live your life and he lives his?

Posted by SammyDEEEEEE on 2014-10-01 16:49:35

John, that's simply ridiculous. The sixth amendment applies only to your rights via the state, not private employers. This is a fascinating position for a libertarian to take. You don't want private employers to be able to employ people under terms they see fit? Who do you want to interfere with the rights of private employers? The government? More regulation, John Tomasik says!

Posted by AldenBrown on 2014-10-01 16:47:53

Ted, I've been reading your columns since the MHR days and have always found both enjoyment and value in them, whether it be in knowing a bit more about the game or hearing you challenge the status quo on social/political/economic assumptions.

Thank you for spending time making our lives a little richer.

Posted by DCJ1 on 2014-10-01 16:47:53

Good luck! I always enjoyed reading your articles. Back at MHR you definitely stood out as one of the better and more informative writers. And so I followed you to One Man Football and I was glad when you joined the IAOFM crew (I rarely go to MHR anymore). I also love your liberal lean.

Kudos to standing up for what you believe. I've had the same conflict within myself. I hate what the NFL has become. Unfortunately, I love the Broncos too. You could say it's a love-hate thing. Haha. I believe you've helped to enlighten me to the the corporate machine that the NFL is, and since I'm now more aware, I spread that knowledge to others. I don't do it to disparage the NFL, but rather to change it. There's good and evil in everything to varying degrees. Maybe one day the NFL and other corporate entities will be able make the changes necessary to be better examples rather than greedy money mongers.

Take care,

Rollston

Posted by Rollston Frangopoulos on 2014-10-01 16:47:44

Respect, Ted.

Keep in touch on Facebook, alright?

Posted by SammyDEEEEEE on 2014-10-01 16:37:39

I (just) don't buy the "us" and "them"stuff. The players didn't come from another planet. Those are our kids. The owners are our elites. They are our investment bankers, internet billionaires, and trust fund kids.

It's just us being: us.

We have to change what we are doing as a society if we want the NFL to change.

Posted by toomanyrappers on 2014-10-01 16:35:24

Thank you for your honesty, Ted. It´s been fantastic reading you, because not only were your articles insightful and well-written, they also were clearly written in good faith, with utter conviction underlying them, and that made all the difference in my opinion in the way we connected with you. Your farewell letter above is in that vein, and it´s impossible not to respect you all the more for it. It´s not always easy to not let ourselves forget that there are real people behind what surrounds us, but it´s vital, ultimately, and everything you wrote above is proof of that. I´ll miss reading your opinions here, but I also believe you taking the time to write your thoughts sincerely in this last post of yours helps make the world a little better. Thank you for everything, Ted, and my best wishes for you and yours.

Posted by Goéland on 2014-10-01 16:30:11

Okay.

Posted by Yahmule on 2014-10-01 16:26:21

In a very broad sense, but the profession is really unlike anything else in the country. What other job potentially combines all these characteristics: high pay; short career; celebrity status; extreme public visibility including unsolicited critiques of your personal life; short term injury; long term disability. If you're saying the NFL is all of us because we support the game with our patronage, consider that more than a third of Americans don't watch football at all.

Posted by Yahmule on 2014-10-01 16:25:21

You're right, Yahmule. My mentality is that I have very little empathy for people who willingly do things that are dangerous (no matter what that thing is), and then get hurt doing it.

Posted by CompUser on 2014-10-01 16:22:48

I heartily disagree. I feel it's closer to 17.68%.

Posted by Hanzo the Razor on 2014-10-01 16:16:45

14%.

Posted by Yahmule on 2014-10-01 16:15:27

Thanks Ted. Im with you. I hardly ever comment anymore. As a sports coach myself, the NFL represents all I hate about professional sport, and the fact that players and people involved are held up as heroes just goes against all that should be decent. I still enjoy the sport, but I enjoyed watching Sunday Ticket as much last weekend as I did when the Broncos did....and I am just a casual watcher now...its background fluff while I do other things. Good for you for taking a stand, and you 100% match what I have been feeling over the past few years. Wish you all the best.

Posted by boydy2669 on 2014-10-01 16:13:01

Fair enough.

But again -- what percentage of the blame do the players get in their own injuries?

Posted by Hanzo the Razor on 2014-10-01 16:12:06

I didn't tell anybody to leave. I told him his lack of empathy is typical of what's found on that board. You can argue this, but you would be wrong.

Posted by Yahmule on 2014-10-01 16:10:21

I totally get what you are saying Ted, I have had numerous conversations with myself over whether I should continue to watch sports. Then I had to ask myself, "if I stop watching sports, what can I watch/listen too?" It is depressing rooting for players on your team who have been accused/convicted of violent crimes, etc.

Posted by hcubed on 2014-10-01 16:09:37

Ted, I'm glad you're following your conscience, and I'm glad you'll still be writing, because you're brilliant. I've been following you since the halcyon days of MHR's beginnings, and I've thoroughly enjoyed your thoughts on the Broncos and football in general. I plan on enjoying your thoughts on everything else just as thoroughly. Good luck, and Godspeed!

Posted by Jonathan Hellmuth on 2014-10-01 16:09:11

Ah, my apologies. I didn't get the reference.

I am definitely against people selling other people stuff they know is garbage. There has to be a level of good faith that the product being sold is what it claims to be.

Posted by Hanzo the Razor on 2014-10-01 16:07:50

Because he disagrees with you, he should leave?

He's not wrong -- it's fairly intuitive that playing a sport as physical as football will lead to injuries. I'd like to think everyone knows getting hit in the head over and over is bad for them.

To turn the tables -- are the players at all responsible for the risks they take when they play football?

Posted by Hanzo the Razor on 2014-10-01 16:06:29

As said, withheld information or lies don't get a pass. They should be forced to pay compensation and be subject to whatever other penalities they deserve.

The example I gave was pretty specific -- in the modern era, it's common knowledge that concussions can lead to health problems later in life. We've seen several public cases.

Those are the kinds of examples I'm talking about.

Posted by Hanzo the Razor on 2014-10-01 16:03:46

Best wishes Ted. Thanks for volunteering your time.

To those of us who remain consumers of the NFL product, stop asking it to be the judicial system. It's business is football, and it should be nothing more. In fact I'd argue that what the fans are pushing it to do is actually violating the 6th amendment rights of its players.

My comment does not preclude football related matters (such as player safety).

Posted by John Tomasik on 2014-10-01 16:03:17

Ted, you are a truly gifted writer. I appreciate all of your articles on IAOFM. I also really enjoyed your past articles on finance. I'm sure I'll enjoy the articles on your Wordpress site.

I love your tagline "I get my information from my eyes." You have very knowledgeable eyes and they will be missed. Good for you for standing up for your beliefs.

Posted by DavidInLA on 2014-10-01 15:58:30

Oh please, yourself. Your mentality belongs on Pro Football Talk.

Posted by Yahmule on 2014-10-01 15:56:52

The NFL is basically getting caught in a different lie every other day right now. How can anybody believe anything they say about player safety or anything else?

Posted by Yahmule on 2014-10-01 15:54:12

I've read you ever since I found MHR long, long ago. It has been a pleasure Ted. Thank you for all the writing over the years. It has always been entertaining and thought-provoking.

Posted by sadaraine on 2014-10-01 15:53:54

I'm fine with people treating it as a religion as long as they don't hurt or disrespect others while they do it. I'm just laying out my feelings on why I roll my eyes at "bandwagon" talk and all the other nonsense some football fans spew.

Posted by Hanzo the Razor on 2014-10-01 15:53:49

Oh please. If they said anything else, or maybe even took responsibility for their actions, how are they going to sue for damages? These are all college educated adults. You don't have to be a rocket scientist, or have your employer hold your hand and tell you, that smashing your head against other objects is probably not a healthy thing to do.

Posted by CompUser on 2014-10-01 15:52:31

In those individual situations, when players are lied to or misled, I am totally on the side of the player.

In all other cases, I am for people taking responsibility for decisions they made knowing the dangers. For example, a modern player knows that there is the danger of concussions. They've heard of the Junior Seau and John Mackie stories.

If a player chooses to continue playing today knowing those dangers -- such as Wes Welker -- that's up to the player.

I'm all for players having all the information and not being lied to. After that, they have to make their own choices and live by them.

I agree, no one is saying Ted is wrong, it's his choice and his choice alone, I just dont follow his reasoning. But then again, thats not his problem.

Posted by Phill Turner on 2014-10-01 15:44:23

"Today's players know the hazards of playing this sport. They know the dangers -- and they still want to do it. It's their decision to make."

There are reams of evidence coming to light that show the NFL hindered, obstructed and lied about test results concerning the effects of concussions and that they deliberately misled players on the effects of pain killers. This contradicts your statement that these guys all went in with their eyes wide open.

Posted by Yahmule on 2014-10-01 15:43:57

You're making my comment into more than it is. It has nothing to do with who is profiting from what. Ted said he's leaving IAOFM because he feels the NFL is counter to his personal ethics, and he no longer wishes to promote the NFL. I only commented that reporting on the NFL is not promoting the NFL anymore than reporting crime is promoting crime.

Posted by CompUser on 2014-10-01 15:40:57

Look around you. The NFL is all of us.

Posted by toomanyrappers on 2014-10-01 15:40:32

Ted, please remember that the NFL is a microcosm of society. The problem is us.

Best of luck to you.

Posted by toomanyrappers on 2014-10-01 15:39:45

Human beings, especially men, have a natural ability for compartmentalizing their feelings. This kind of cognitive dissonance can be ignored indefinitely when its never challenged, but we're all being challenged by the light being shined on the unseemly aspects of the NFL these days.

Posted by Yahmule on 2014-10-01 15:38:10

There is such a thing as personal responsibility.

This isn't comparable to working in a 1890s steel mill when it's the only job in town anyone can get (or whatever). No one has to become a football player and it's not the only way to make a livable wage in modern America.

NFL players get to enjoy free tuition to a prestigious college -- you can use that degree instead of playing football for NFL. I had to serve in the USAF to get my college money and that wouldn't come close to paying for the big time state schools these guys get to go to.

Today's players know the hazards of playing this sport. They know the dangers -- and they still want to do it. It's their decision to make.

And before all the million dollars contracts, athletes still lined up to play professional football, just for the sheer love of the game. Johnny Unitas worked in an office after he retired.

They're not children, they're grown adults that can make their own decisions.

Posted by Hanzo the Razor on 2014-10-01 15:38:06

Thanks Ted, especially the part where you admit to being a jerk. Frankly your self-centered style of writing in the early days turned me off so much that I stopped reading your work for a while. Not to say that I wasn't a self-centered jerk as well in my youth, but luckily only my friends and family had to put up with it. Still over the years you matured into a damn fine writer, and your excellent commentary will be sorely missed during this year's SB quest. I have great admiration for your strength of character in making this decision, most of us have had second thoughts about the NFL lately. May the wind always be at your back.

Posted by iamafreeman on 2014-10-01 15:35:54

Been reading you from the old days, old salt. Gonna miss you, but I completely get where you're coming from on this. I made a similar decision myself last week -- only I'm leaving a job I've been in for 15 years, my bread and butter, because my company got so huge it no longer has a moral compass or a guiding light to be passionate about.

Time to blaze new paths.

It's been hard to be a football fan these days, with all that's come to light. I've even taken to watching more European soccer lately, and I'll be damned if I don't enjoy it. I can't imagine ever feeling as good as I did after our first SB win, and all these years I've been chasing that high.

Posted by broncosmontana on 2014-10-01 15:31:08

The difference is that the criminal can't profit on the public's interest in his crimes, whereas the NFL does.

Posted by Hercules_Rockefeller on 2014-10-01 15:27:56

Worker safety in a naturally violent work environment is a difficult thing to guarantee. And when players decline to use the safety equipment they're provided with because they don't want to be slowed down by a fraction of a second by wearing it, worker safety becomes even more difficult.

Posted by CompUser on 2014-10-01 15:26:46

people like to believe that being a fan is more than this, that it really "means something". And to an extent that being a fan creates an instant bond and community between strangers and allows us all to communally enjoy something, it does. But if we're taking it further than that, we're really getting off track, IMO. There shouldn't be anything wrong with enjoying any culture on your own terms.

Posted by Hercules_Rockefeller on 2014-10-01 15:26:12

Best of luck with your new pursuits. It takes guts to admit that you're not happy and then actually take action to change your life. I know from experience. You can always support the Broncos in spirit, yet not financially, by streaming the games free online and buying cheap knockoff jerseys;)

Posted by macomment on 2014-10-01 15:25:24

It's undeniably true that none* of the issues facing the NFL are wholly unique to the NFL, I do think that the NFL (and the other major sports, to varying degrees) occupies a privileged position in american society that justifies the intensity of the criticism facing it. The NFL enjoys a legal monopoly that allows its owners to enjoy profits and growth that outpace most industries in both amount and lack of variance. That profit benefits greatly from taxpayer funded stadiums, and the NFL itself operates as a non-profit. And aside from purely economic reasoning, professional sports make up a key part of our nation's culture as well. I believe any business in such a position owes the public more accountability than the average corporation.

*the one issue that I do feel is particularly worse with the NFL compared to other business is worker safety. a couple of generations ago there were plenty of industries which routinely used up and spat out workers. these days's there are still hazardous industries, but there are also regulations that prevent corporations from treating the health and lives of their employees callously; there's been tremendous progress in most industries in this regard. The NFL has, until the last couple of years, treated its employee's safety the same as it always has. I think that's starting to change, but that change is well overdue.

Posted by Hercules_Rockefeller on 2014-10-01 15:22:50

What about the people that will actually use those machines to lose weight?

There is such a thing as personal responsibility. The people who buy machines and don't use them can only blame themselves.

And I say this as someone who owns a treadmill that is collecting dust. I went into the store, I asked to buy the machine, and I put down my money.

I should be allowed to waste my money and make my own mistakes.

Posted by Hanzo the Razor on 2014-10-01 15:22:36

As someone who fell out of love with the commercial aspects of football / soccer I know where you're coming from :-)

All the best my friend

Posted by Mike Birtwistle on 2014-10-01 15:17:56

Hear, hear.

I hate all this "bandwagon" talk from sports fans. As if deep loyalty to a sports team is worthy of admiration. I like Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, but if I can't make my mortgage, they won't be there for me. If I drop dead tomorrow, they won't even notice. And that's fine -- that's reasonable -- so let's keep the relationship professional. They provide a service and I'm free to enjoy or reject it on my own terms as a consumer.

It's entertainment. It's as trivial as The Big Bang Theory or People magazine. If entertainment ceases being entertaining -- you stop watching it. You don't power through to prove you're a real fan of these things.

I'll root for whoever I want to, on any terms I set for myself.

Posted by Hanzo the Razor on 2014-10-01 15:17:37

"Here, you’re knowingly playing a trick on the customer, because you know that 90% of the time, that treadmill is going to get used for three weeks, and then it’s going to become furniture, maybe a laundry rack. The customer is all fired up to exercise, so they’re amenable to buying the agreement and pissing their money down a hole. I didn’t like to cheat my customers, so I resisted, and I eventually left Sears over the philosophical difference that we had, so that I could go do honorable work, in the form of delivering pizza."

Posted by NateDogg911 on 2014-10-01 15:16:18

We'll miss you Ted. All the best moving forward.

Posted by paulrosenpaulll on 2014-10-01 15:16:03

Jeez. Tough to read that your favorite writer is quitting writing because the NFL is inherently immoral --and make a strong case for it.

I get by by thinking of NFL stars much like I think of pornography stars. (Or the Chinese kids that work horrible hours stitching my jersey.) That is: I put the human costs to the back of my mind and selfishly enjoy. Ted is a more principled man that I. For what its worth, here is the first article of Ted's I read. It was fittingly excellent and I think the piece that still best encapsulates the McDaniels era. http://tbfootball.wordpress.co...

I'll try to check out your new blog maybe Doug will give it some links in the Lard.

Delivering pizzas is nobler than selling appliance insurance.

Posted by NateDogg911 on 2014-10-01 15:13:19

I find myself feeling the same way. McDonald's, Walmart, and all the rest engage in this kind of stuff as well -- but their employees don't get millions of dollars and endorsement deals.

If I were to take a hardline stand, I'd probably have to move out to the woods and live off the land or something. Food production, manufacturing, military, law enforcement, government, communications industries, etc. -- they all care only about the bottom line and are willing to step all over the little guy to do it.

The NFL is hardly the largest offender in our country.

(Please note -- I'm not trying to say that Ted is wrong for leaving or that he's intellectually selective or anything like that. I admire that he is following his own code of ethics, even if they differ from my own -- I'm just stating my own feelings here.)

Posted by Hanzo the Razor on 2014-10-01 15:12:40

I have no issue with peoples's problems with the suits running the NFL, like most executives of almost any company, money is their god. I never said he wasn't welcome back, I'm just saying, if the league, hence the team, aren't inline with your morals, then surely the end all and be all of every season, The Super Bowl surely isn't either.

Posted by Phill Turner on 2014-10-01 15:11:33

It was actually college football that President Roosevelt threatened to abolish.

Posted by Yahmule on 2014-10-01 15:11:20

Ted, I really enjoyed your analysis and am sorry to see you go. Best of luck in everything you pursue from now on.

Posted by Hanzo the Razor on 2014-10-01 15:08:58

Say it ain't so! The site will never be quite the same. Thanks for everything, Ted. I really enjoyed your work (both football and non-football related). I learned a lot about the game by reading your stuff. I wish you all the best.

Posted by AldenBrown on 2014-10-01 15:01:04

Your writing will be missed Ted. Best of luck to you. Be well.

Posted by donbok1 on 2014-10-01 14:59:55

Best of luck in your future endeavors, Ted. I enjoyed reading your pieces and I'm sad to see you go. Personally, much of what you wrote strikes a chord with me. Since reading the articles pertaining to concussions at IAOFM and watching the Frontline documentary I began to wonder if supporting the NFL is the wrong thing to do. I'm still not sure. All the other stuff is just piling on for me.

My fandom has begun to wane significantly and I'm starting to wonder why. I think all of these issues together are starting to weigh on me. I love the Broncos, but watching them every Sunday is a bit less appealing than yesteryear.

Posted by Hank Mardukis on 2014-10-01 14:59:41

Via con Dios Brah! Thanks for your thought provoking articles over the years.

Posted by grover7874 on 2014-10-01 14:57:31

best of luck to you sir. thanks for your great input here at IAOFM

Posted by Troy Fairclough on 2014-10-01 14:53:42

The best of luck to you, Ted. It was your writing, and the writing of others at IAOFM, that made me rethink the game of football and how one goes about building a team. I totally understand why you're stepping away and don't blame you. If you find you aren't enjoying what you are doing, it's always best to walk away.

I will have to remember to check out your new site from time to time.

Posted by Bob Morris on 2014-10-01 14:53:24

I'm glad you wrote this because, like Ted, I have become bothered by the behavior of the NFL. Haven't most of us? Societal or not, the lying and deceit has become intolerable. It has certainly impacted my love for football and with a business and family, all I have time for anymore is the Broncos and the NFL, not the sport as a whole. And that typically means this site and the ability to DVR the game and usually watch once the game has ended ;)

That said, to your excellent point, they do a heck of a lot of good. But who is doing the good? The League or the Players? I would say that it's the players. Ted's issue is not with the players, although you can not have one without the other so your point is not moot.

In closing PT, while I'm glad you made this point, you kind of lost me when you told Ted to he's not welcome back (below). You probably realize now how silly that statement was, but still, not your right and more importantly, he had already addressed it in the column. But why not take a bit of a stand against the man from time to time? What happens when we don't?

Posted by GMik - Broncologist on 2014-10-01 14:43:03

I totally understand this, and while I feel sad to miss your writing, I support you standing up for what feels ethically comfortable. I have never felt more torn, even tormented, as an NFL, nee even as a sports fan in general, than I have this year. At times I feel like a hypocrite. While I know for every Ray Rice (and there are too many of them in the NFL and society in general), there are guys like T Knighton who stand back up to him, the league itself has been such a dubious enterprise to sickening degree, never more obvious than this year. That said, I still love the sport itself, whenever it can appear pure on the field, and would have a hard time not following my beloved Broncos. And just for me (emphasis on "for me"), I feel like the league will not change its mentality about these things without pressure from within. It needs people like us fighting back and forcing them to address things, and I guess I just don't feel like giving up. (Not saying you're giving up, mind you, and again I totally understand the moral conundrum.) But I'd rather stay and try to help it *evolve* if that's even possible. Maybe I'll see that evolution is impossible and stand aside, too, with great sadness (as I'm sure you must feel.)

But anytime you feel like stepping back in and writing about the sport, I will happily welcome it -- no questions asked! ;)

Posted by underdog on 2014-10-01 14:38:09

Frankly, Ted, I'm with you. It has felt morally gross to follow the NFL lately. How can I justify supporting the bankroll of rich men who exploit the lower classes under the mantra of "they know what they're signing up for."

I've stopped watching games this season, but the incredible writing by you (and the other guys at Fat Man) has made it harder to quit cold turkey. You guys' analysis and opinions was just as enjoyable to me as the games.

Your taking a stand was the straw I needed to break the camel's back. If you can quit a hobby that you've contributed expertise to for years, then I can stand to quit a hobby where I'm only a passive watcher of games and a passive reader of IAOFM.

Blessings to you, and thanks for being a role model.

Posted by schmendrick12 on 2014-10-01 14:35:29

Be well, sir. Go be happy. See ya around.

Ready…Begin!

Posted by Ralph_W on 2014-10-01 14:31:53

Best of luck to you in your future endeavors, Ted. It has been a pleasure.

Posted by 303user on 2014-10-01 14:29:41

Good luck Ted, its been fun following the site with your contribution.

Best!

Posted by Laces Out on 2014-10-01 14:20:45

Ted, thank you for the hard work you have put in on this site. I can't fault you for for you issues with the NFL as I share many of them. I am reminded of the segment John Oliver did on FIFA and much like him, my disgust for the NFL in general is not yet enough to overcome my love of watching professional football played at the highest level. Maybe one day it will and I will follow your lead. I wish you the best of fortune in all of your future endeavors. Know that I feel IAOFM will be a greatly diminished site without your input.

Posted by Adrian Brody's O face on 2014-10-01 14:20:06

The NFL is a mirror of the society, we just don't like to look at the mirror sometimes.Thanks for all the good reads and hope you find more fulfilling endeavors.

Posted by Random Anonymous Coward on 2014-10-01 14:08:34

I'll really miss you and your insightful writing. I absolutely respect your ethical stance and your integrity has actually been one of your best traits. It is reflected here in your decision and I am glad you took time to write this and explain yourself. Best wishes to you.

Posted by DocPonderosa on 2014-10-01 14:07:51

I've been struggling with justifying my NFL fandom, finding more pleasure in the athleticism of basketball than football lately, and am dreading the day when someone in the NFL dies on the field.

The Frontline documentary and the way the NFL slandered the doctors bringing the concussion issue to the forefront was the beginning of the final countdown of my devotion to the NFL and Broncos.

Realistically, I will likely pay attention weekly while Manning is our QB.

Happy Trails Ted! Thanks for all the articles I've read and enjoyed.

Posted by magster on 2014-10-01 14:02:35

Isn't it terms like "be a man" that are at the core of these very issues? Ironic...

Posted by Robert on 2014-10-01 14:02:28

To be fair though, that's always been the case for the NFL. Lest we forget, at one point a sitting US President had to chime in and threaten to ban the sport because people were getting killed on a routine basis. The institution is a product of our society and it can and will change (as it already has). But change will always be the last choice of the NFL because change brings unknown risks.

Posted by Steve Stearns on 2014-10-01 13:56:41

Don't try to set terms for me as I decide how to proceed within my own ethical framework. I'll "be a man" and proceed how I see fit. You kind of sound like a woman I just broke up with.

Posted by Ted Bartlett on 2014-10-01 13:56:25

I was going to write something of my own, but this pretty much says it all. Thanks for everything, Ted.

Posted by Carsonic on 2014-10-01 13:56:20

Thank you for all you have contributed to the site Ted. My knowledge and appreciation of the game definitely grew as a direct result of your contributions.

Good luck to you good sir.

Posted by The_Outlaw1984 on 2014-10-01 13:56:00

I suspect really though it comes down to this:

"Over the last four years, I've had some fun writing here, but truth be told, I've enjoyed it less and less all the time."

If you aren't enjoying it, then you shouldn't be doing it. Done. The rest feeds that I'm sure, but in the end, if this is something you do for enjoyment, then it's silly to keep going if that enjoyment has faded.

Happy trails to you and thanks for your writing here. This is, by far, the best Broncos site on the web in no small part to your contributions.

Posted by Steve Stearns on 2014-10-01 13:54:15

hate to see you leavebut I love to watch you gogodspeed to you, sir

Posted by therealhaikuboy on 2014-10-01 13:50:28

Best of luck to you in your future endeavors. God bless and Go Broncos.

Posted by iowabronco on 2014-10-01 13:45:43

Definitely am going to miss your perspectives on here. You will be missed.

Posted by BRASO on 2014-10-01 13:44:55

Hate to see you leave, Ted. One thing I don't understand though, is how reporting and commenting about things happening in the NFL is promoting the NFL. That's kind of like saying a newspaper reporter is promoting crime because he's reporting it in the paper. But anyway, good luck with your new site. Hope it brings you the satisfaction that you're no longer getting here.

Posted by CompUser on 2014-10-01 13:44:13

Ted, I know this wasn't a decision you came to lightly. I'm also getting to the point where almost everything about the NFL, except the games themselves, disgusts me. Their phony sanctimony, despite a closet bursting with skeletons, is the toughest part to swallow.

I hope you stop by from time to time. I'll make a point to check out your new site as well. If you have a change of heart, for whatever reason, don't think for a second that you won't be welcomed back enthusiastically by the vast majority of the readership of this site.

Posted by Yahmule on 2014-10-01 13:44:10

While there is a slate of negativity in the NFL, the NFL also does a lot of good. It brings families together, does a ton of work in the community, and gives kids hope in places where hope is rare. I would argue the good heavily outweighs the bad.

Posted by Phill Turner on 2014-10-01 13:42:46

He wasn't dedicating dozens of hours per week writing about the rest of society. He felt his writing was promoting an organization that was in conflict with his ethics. Pretty simple.

Posted by krissberg on 2014-10-01 13:40:12

I agree with the article that these things are negative points for the NFL. But as Phill Turner points out, it is no different from the rest of society. Im not sure why the NFL should be treated any differently then anywhere else?

Posted by Shane on 2014-10-01 13:37:58

Also don't hop back on the bandwagon if the broncos make the super bowl, be a man and stand behind your decision.

Posted by Phill Turner on 2014-10-01 13:33:10

I find it ironic when people say they dont like what the NFL represents, or whats going on in the NFL. All of the things you mentioned that bother you about the NFL are things that happen in every facet of society, including your job now, which ever political party you affiliate with, and which ever companies you back. There will always be a difference of opinions as far as labor laws, and competition go, there will always be domestic violence. These things, regardless of justice, are part of society. To say that they represent the NFL is an over reach in my opinion. Adios.

Posted by Phill Turner on 2014-10-01 13:31:12

Goodbye, Ted. Good luck in your endeavors. I can't say that I disagree with anything that you wrote and watching football, let alone writing about it does seem to become more difficult as the nature of what were less obvious truths about the nature of the NFL are pushed into our faces.

Posted by Van Carter on 2014-10-01 13:29:28

Wow, kept waiting for the 'GOTCHA' moment that never came. Respect Ted, you were a huge reason I enjoyed this site so much. I think the NFL and the Broncos need fans like you and I hope they win you back. Good luck to you in everything you do.

Posted by krissberg on 2014-10-01 13:29:19

Thanks for this explanation, Ted. It would have been strange and unhappy to have you just disappear. And special thanks for all your years of writing for us, sharing your insights and expanding our perceptions.

I commend you for making this decision based on ethics. Feeling that strongly, about anything, is proof of how alive you are! I totally understand what you’re feeling about not wanting to support the monster anymore. I’ve managed to avoid getting caught up in the emotional net of the NFL, having moved right out of the US about thirty years ago, for similar ethical reasons, after being very involved in the anti-nuclear protest movement.

By the way, I’m sure the time you put into this absolutely swamps the $5k or so you spent directly. (Which is the way I justify the $200 I spent for the Game Pass video stream, compared to the thousands of dollars of my time I spend on watching even a few games.)

You’re a great writer, consistently engaging, and I hope you keep it up, no matter the subject.

Thanks again for taking the time to give us, your “fans”, some closure. Carpe diem!

Posted by VonSwenson on 2014-10-01 13:28:49

It's been a great run, and I appreciate everything you've done for IAOFM. Thank you for your wonderful insight. Your articles have taught me a lot about not only football, but also my favorite professional sports team. You will be missed.